Elisha W. Baily
{{Short description|American politician (1821–1904)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Elisha W. Baily
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| state_house = Pennsylvania
| district = Chester County
| term_start = 1873
| term_end = 1876
| predecessor = Joseph C. Keech and Levi Prizer
| successor = Samuel Butler, William T. Fulton, Jesse Matlack, John P. Edge
| alongside = Levi Prizer, Peter G. Carey, John P. Edge, George Fairlamb Smith
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1821|10|17}}
| birth_place = Londonderry Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1904|12|4|1821|10|17}}
| death_place = Sadsbury Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, U.S.
| resting_place = Sadsbury Friends Burial Grounds
Christiana, Pennsylvania, U.S.
| party = Republican
| spouse =
| children =
| education =
| alma_mater = Jefferson Medical College (MD)
| occupation = {{hlist|Politician|physician|educator}}
| signature =
}}
Elisha W. Baily (October 17, 1821 – December 4, 1904) was an American politician and physician from Pennsylvania. He served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing Chester County from 1873 to 1876.
Early life
Elisha W. Baily was born on October 17, 1821, in Londonderry Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. His father died when Baily was two years old. He graduated from Union Academy. He then taught at Andrews' Bridge for two years. He graduated from Jefferson Medical College with a Doctor of Medicine in 1844.{{cite web |url=https://archives.house.state.pa.us/people/member-biography?ID=7118 |title=Elisha W. Baily, M.D. |website=Pennsylvania House of Representatives Archives |access-date=2023-12-21}}{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-journal-retired-physician-passe/137113571/ |title=Retired Physician Passes to Rest |date=1904-12-05 |newspaper=The Morning News |page=1 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2023-12-21}}{{Open access}}
Career
After graduating, Baily practiced medicine in Parkesburg. After about a year, he moved to Atglen. He practiced in Chester County and eastern Lancaster County. In 1857, he moved to New Bloomfield, Pennsylvania, and practiced there until the start of the Civil War.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-semi-weekly-new-era-death-of-dr-eli/137113314/ |title=Death of Dr. Elisha W. Baily, a Well-Known Retired Physician |date=1904-12-07 |newspaper=The New Era |page=3 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2023-12-21}}{{Open access}}
Baily was surgeon of the 47th Pennsylvania Infantry Regiment from 1861 to 1863. He started as an examiner of recruits in Camp Curtin. He was health officer of the port under General Daniel Phineas Woodbury's command and worked at the general hospital in Key West, Florida, in 1862. In 1862, he was medical director and worked on General Brannon's staff. He returned to General Woodbury's command and served in Florida again from 1863 to 1864. He then served on a hospital boat on the Mississippi River. He was surgeon under General Philip Sheridan of the Army of the Shenandoah in 1864. He was present at the Third Battle of Winchester and the Battle of Cedar Creek. After the Battle of Cedar Creek, his commission ended.
After the war, he moved back to Atglen and continued his medical practice. He retired in 1882. He lived in Philadelphia for ten years and moved to a farm in Sadsbury Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, in 1892.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/intelligencer-journal-dr-e-w-baily-5/137113462/ |title=Dr. E. W. Baily |date=1904-12-05 |newspaper=The Lancaster Daily Intelligencer |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2023-12-21}}{{Open access}}
Baily was a Republican. He served as a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing Chester County from 1873 to 1876.{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/chestercountyits00thoms/page/440/mode/2up |title=Chester County and Its People |editor-last=Thomson |editor-first=W. W. |year=1898 |publisher=The Union History Company |page=441 |via=Archive.org |access-date=2023-12-21}}{{Open access}}
Personal life
Baily married. He died on December 4, 1904, in Sadsbury Township. He was interred at Sadsbury Friends Burial Grounds in Christiana.
References
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Category:Politicians from Chester County, Pennsylvania
Category:People from Perry County, Pennsylvania
Category:People from Philadelphia
Category:Politicians from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania
Category:Jefferson Medical College alumni
Category:People of Pennsylvania in the American Civil War
Category:Republican Party members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Category:Physicians from Pennsylvania
Category:19th-century American educators
Category:19th-century American physicians
Category:19th-century members of the Pennsylvania General Assembly